Danville Property Owners Approve New LLAD District: Preliminary Totals

DANVILLE, CA —Preliminary tallies indicate that 57.1% of Danville property owners approved a new town-wide Landscaping and Lighting Assessment District, according to a town news release. 42.9% of property owners were opposed. The new district will replace the old LLAD, and go into effect for fiscal year 2025-26.

A public meeting was held on May 20 following an engineer's report, educational outreach, public meetings, and ballot distribution to all property owners. Voting closed at the end of the public hearing, and tabulation was conducted publicly May 21 at the Danville Town Offices. The final results will be presented the council for adoption on June 3.

The new assessment district will use a new rate calculator equal to the Bay Area Consumer Price Index, with a cap of 3% annually. It is projected to provide an additional $1.4 million in dedicated funding for the upcoming year. The new funds will be restricted to maintain parks, street lights, landscaping, and facilities town wide.

The new district will close a funding gap that grew to $1.7 million in 2023-24, which resulted from increasing costs but flat revenue. LLAD revenue has increased by 3.1% since 2003, though expenditures have risen 78%, and many costs are covered by the town’s General Fund. Since 2003, the General Fund’s contribution to the LLAD fund has increased by 607%, the town said. The town said it took many steps to address the rising costs, but recent utility increases have outpaced these efforts.

Under the new LLAD, single-family homeowner adjustments will range from a $50 reduction to a $150 increase, depending on the parcel location. Each property owner was mailed a ballot specifying their current rate and proposed rate. The proposed adjustments are based on findings from a detailed engineer's report, which calculated Equivalent Dwelling Units to ensure proportionality. The new LLAD updates how apartments are assessed, moving from a parcel-based formula to a per-unit assessment.